Carbon Pricing Discussions in Olympia

Carbon tax discussions continue in Olympia this legislative session.

As you know, AIA Seattle endorsed Initiative 732 on the November 2016 ballot, which would have established a carbon tax in the state. While that initiative failed with 41% of voters approving, it has spurred a state-wide conversation about carbon pricing.

A few weeks ago, Governor Inslee released a budget with a proposed carbon tax to help fund education, clean energy investment, environmental protection and jobs training. Read about the proposal in this Seattle Times article.

On January 13, Senators Braun, Ranker and Hunt introduced Senate Bill 5127, “establishing a carbon pollution tax and investment program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy, and invest in K-12 education and other vital public services.” The bill closely models both the Governor’s proposal and I-732 in the price it sets for carbon and the structure it establishes for assigning cost.

AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council endorse a carbon tax as an important strategy to provide appropriate incentives for clients to invest in high performance building. We continue to support the idea of a carbon tax, particularly one that sets the right price for carbon, as part of our commitment to achieving the 2030 commitment. Read these talking points on why a carbon tax matters to architects.

AIA Washington Council members will be talking about a carbon tax with legislators in Olympia on January 26 as part of Capital Connections, our architect lobby day in the state.

What you can do:

Comment on Senate Bill 5127 here.
Contact your state senators here.
Attend Capital Connections, AIA Washington Council’s lobby day, January 26 in Olympia. Register here.
Learn more about what makes good carbon policy by reading Sightline’s analysis of the recent initiative.